Too often the Lord's Supper becomes just a routine part of worship in some churches. In other words, it becomes something that is added to the conclusion of a service as a spiritual afterthought. Actually, God intended Communion to be an intimate time for believers to fellowship with their Lord and to appropriate by faith the spiritual and physical blessings that are theirs through Jesus' redemptive work on the Cross.
For this reason, great care should be taken by the minister to properly instruct his congregation in the appropriate manner in which to observe this ceremony. To avoid observing this ordinance in an unworthy manner, it is necessary for both pastors and congregations to understand the nature and purpose of the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion.
Holy Communion: A Divine Ordinance
The Lord Himself instituted Communion as an ongoing observance to commemorate His death and soon return.
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
(1 Cor. 11:24-26 KJV)
As First Corinthians 11:26 states, every time we participate in this ordinance, we are calling to our remembrance what Christ's sacrificial death means to us. We are also proclaiming His death until He returns. Therefore, the Lord's Supper is not only a memorial ordinance, it is a perpetual ordinance. It is also to be observed by every believer until that day when we share it with Him in His Father's Kingdom.
Holy Communion Is An Ordinance of Examination
As believers, we are encouraged to examine our hearts as we prepare to receive Communion.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
(1 Cor. 11:28-29 KJV)
We must approach this ordinance with reverence, making sure we have confessed any sins to the Lord and allowed Him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
We must also recognize the significance and importance of discerning the Lord's body. Paul felt so strongly about the need to discern the Lord's body that he told the Corinthian believers their neglect in this area was the reason many were weak and sickly among them (1 Cor. 11:30).
Discerning the Lord's body means in part that we are to discern the spiritual Body of Christ. In other words, we are obligated to walk in love toward every believer - every member of the Body of Christ—and to recognize the universal Church.
Holy Communion: An Ordinance of Healing
Discerning the Lord's body also means to understand that Christ's body was broken for our physical health and well-being. As Jesus broke bread and gave it to His disciples, He was in fact symbolizing His body that would be broken on Calvary for the removal of sickness and disease (Ps. 103:1-3; Isa. 53:4,5; 1 Peter 2:24).
Exodus chapter 12 records the institution of the Passover. In the Passover supper, the Israelites were to roast and eat the Paschal Lamb to give strength and health to their bodies in preparation for their journey of deliverance.
Today as we partake of the element of the Bread that symbolizes Christ's broken body, we can appropriate health and healing for our physical bodies to prepare us for life's journey.
Holy Communion: An Ordinance of Forgiveness
The element of the Cup represents the shed blood of Jesus that ratified the New Covenant. In Matthew 26:28, Jesus said, "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
Under the New Covenant, the Christian is privileged to experience not only the forgiveness of sins, but also the remission of sins, which is a total cleansing and removal of sin with no more remembrance of it (Isa. 43:25,26; Heb. 8:12).
Jesus became the final Sacrifice, the spotless Lamb of God offered to take away the sin of the world (Heb. 9:24-28; John 1:29). His blood became the atoning sacrifice that once and for all settled the sin problem and redeemed mankind. The blood of Jesus is not only the proof of His death; it is also the seal by which the New Covenant was ratified.
The Cup represents a whole new way of life for the Christian. Not only does the believer receive remission of his sins and the restoration of favor with God, he can also walk in the spiritual blessings that are the result of an intimate relationship with the Heavenly Father.
Who Qualifies To Participate In the Lord's Table?
The pastor is encouraged to emphasize to the congregation that any believer, regardless of denominational affiliation, may participate in the observance of the Lord's Supper. Rather than adopting a "closed Communion" mentality, it is advisable for the pastor to openly invite all believers to share in the Communion celebration.
Also, by its very nature, Communion encourages family participation. The pastor should encourage families to sit together during this special time. The pastor should also leave it to the parent's discretion which of their children are eligible to participate. In other words, parents should use their own judgment in determining whether or not their child has a personal relationship with Jesus and is old enough to understand the spiritual significance of Communion.
How Often Should Communion Be Observed?
This is a frequently-asked question. To answer it, one must appeal to personal preference. Many churches choose to observe Communion the first Sunday of each month. Other churches prefer to observe this ordinance quarterly. Regardless how often you choose to observe Communion, great care should be taken to avoid ritualizing this ceremony.
The Elements
It is a common practice for many churches to use the elements of bread or wafers to represent the broken body of Jesus and grape juice to represent His shed blood. White grape juice may be used because it is not as likely to stain. Red or purple grape juice can stain and cause permanent damage to carpets, pew upholstery, and clothing.
We do not believe in transubstantiation. That is, we do not believe the Communion elements mystically transform into something other than bread and juice. Rather, they symbolize the body and the blood of Christ. As we partake in faith, we appropriate the spiritual and physical blessings Jesus purchased for us in His death, burial, and resurrection.
Preparation of the Communion Table
Communion is one of the more meaningful worship experiences of the church; therefore, great care and planning should go into the preparation of this ceremony. A well-prepared service will accomplish what the minister desires by creating an atmosphere that is conducive for effective ministry.
Because we are honoring the Lord in this ordinance, we should recognize the importance of preparing an attractive Communion table. The utensils should be properly cleaned and arranged in a pleasing fashion.
The pastor should assign certain people to prepare the elements and utensils prior to the service. The size of the congregation determines the time needed for preparation. Larger congregations may want to take advantage of mechanical devices that can fill an entire Communion tray at one time. This will not only save time, but will also decrease the number of people needed to assist with preparation.
Procedures for Serving the Elements
With proper planning, the serving of the elements can be handled in an efficient, orderly manner. First, determine the size of your congregation and the number of servers and utensils that will adequately accommodate everyone.
Second, rehearse the service in advance. Properly instruct the servers as to their responsibilities. Also, inform them how you plan to conduct the service. Depending on the size of your congregation, you may choose to serve the elements while the congregation remains seated. Or you may allow the people, either individually or by groups, to come to the altar to receive the elements.
Third, make sure you properly instruct your congregation how they will be served and when they should partake of the elements. It is advisable to serve the bread first, followed by the grape juice. We recommend that people hold the elements until all are served. Then the congregation can partake of Communion together.
A few simple instructions and advance preparation will ensure an organized and meaningful Communion experience for your congregation.
The Service Itself
You may choose to devote your entire service to the observance of Communion, or you may want to incorporate it into your normal worship service. Regardless of which method you choose, determine to create a proper atmosphere of reverent worship that will assist the congregation to receive from the Lord as they partake of the elements.
Just before the elements are served, it is appropriate to read selected passages of Scripture pertaining to Communion. This is when the minister should instruct the people that the Lord's Table is available to all who know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. This is also an excellent opportunity for the minister to extend an invitation to those who may not be Christians to receive Jesus as their Lord.
After the appropriate scriptures and prayers have been offered and the people have partaken of the elements, a hymn or congregational song may be sung as a dismissal.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publication
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
